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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region

124 Ranked Colleges
2,228 Degrees Awarded
$38,670 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 36,792 people earned their degree in special education, making the major the 29th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, special education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $45,679 and had an average of $24,977 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 6,264 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,394 and $26,337 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,228 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,343 and $26,790 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 124 colleges that offered a degree in special education. That schools that top this list have a program in special education in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Special Education Schools

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The special ed school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region

1
SMWC crest
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary of the Woods, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Saint Mary of the Woods, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Special Education at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

2
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Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, Illinois

Out of the 124 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Trinity Christian College landed the #2 spot on the list. Palos Heights, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Trinity Christian Special Education Report

3
University of Rio Grande crest
University of Rio Grande
Rio Grande, Ohio

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Rio Grande. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Rio Grande, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Special Education at University of Rio Grande

4
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Bluffton University
Bluffton, Ohio

Out of the 124 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Bluffton University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Bluffton, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Bluffton University

5
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Marietta College
Marietta, Ohio

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Marietta College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Marietta College is a small school located in Marietta, Ohio that handed out 11 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Marietta College Special Education Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. BGSU is a fairly large public school situated in Bowling Green, Ohio. It awarded 214 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at BGSU

7
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Notre Dame College
Cleveland, Ohio

Notre Dame College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 12 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at NDC

8
Hope crest
Hope College
Holland, Michigan

Hope College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Hope is located in Holland, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Special Education at Hope College

9
Ashland crest
Ashland University
Ashland, Ohio

Ashland University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Ashland, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ashland Special Education Report

10
Shawnee State University crest
Shawnee State University
Portsmouth, Ohio

Shawnee State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Shawnee State University is located in Portsmouth, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Special Education at Shawnee State University

11

With a ranking of #11, Grace College and Theological Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Grace College and Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winona Lake, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Grace College and Theological Seminary Special Education Report

12

Youngstown State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Youngstown State University is a fairly large public school situated in Youngstown, Ohio. It awarded 77 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Youngstown State University Special Education Report

13

Ohio Dominican University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio Dominican University is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at ODU

14

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 85 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at UW - Eau Claire

15
Illinois State crest
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 160 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Illinois State University

16
Capital crest
Capital University
Columbus, Ohio

Capital University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Capital is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Capital

17
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Malone University
Canton, Ohio

Malone University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Malone is located in Canton, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Special Education at Malone University

18
Elmhurst crest
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 25 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Elmhurst Special Education Report

19
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Lake Erie College
Painesville, Ohio

Lake Erie College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. LEC is a small school located in Painesville, Ohio that handed out 6 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at LEC

20
Defiance College crest
Defiance College
Defiance, Ohio

Defiance College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Defiance College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Defiance, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Special Education at Defiance College

21

Concordia University, Ann Arbor ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Concordia University, Ann Arbor Special Education Report

22

Indiana Wesleyan University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. IWU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Marion, Indiana. It awarded 16 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at IWU

23
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Carthage College
Kenosha, Wisconsin

Carthage College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Carthage is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Carthage

24

University of Mount Union ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Mount Union is located in Alliance, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Mount Union

25

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW Oshkosh is a public institution located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at UW Oshkosh

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Notes and References

References

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